Antony Catalano seeks approval for $67 million Byron Bay mega‑compound

Media mogul Antony Catalano, who is facing eight criminal charges in Melbourne over an alleged assault on his wife Stefanie, has applied to the Byron Shire Council to demolish the family home at Wategos Beach and build a third luxury residence on an adjacent 780‑square‑metre site. The proposed development would join two previously approved houses, creating a $67 million three‑home estate covering more than 5,200 square metres on the exclusive Byron Bay beachfront.

All three homes are designed by Fitzroy‑based Rob Kennon Architects. The existing house, bought for $9 million in 2023, is held in Stefanie’s name and mortgaged to Westpac. Catalano plans to spend about $4.1 million on demolition and construction, adding to the $54 million already earmarked for the two‑house phase. The project has drawn objections from local residents despite the area’s concentration of wealthy owners such as Stephen Hains, Janine Allis, Anthony Eisen, Adam Gilchrist and Richard Uechtritz.